


S01E05 – A Boy in a Bush

by Jhonnies



Series: Bones Revisited - Season 01 [10]
Category: Bones (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-14
Updated: 2012-12-15
Packaged: 2017-11-18 15:44:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/562697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jhonnies/pseuds/Jhonnies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My version of the fifth episode. Zack and Booth investigate a child's murder in a case that affects everyone. Angela and Hodgins continue tiptoeing around the subject of sex. Vince and Wendell come out to their friends and co-workers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> This is my seventeenth story over all. (Look at me go.) I hope you've enjoyed all the other stories. (I know I have).
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Bones or any of the characters (You would know if it was mine by the amount of slash).

Introduction

In which Zack becomes a field agent.

Jeffersonian Institute's Auditorium

Washington D.C.

On the stage, Dr. Temperance Brennan was giving a lecture to a large group of anthropology students. Out of public view, Zack Addy and Daniel Goodman talked. Behind the female anthropologist, a slide showed a variety of what look to be skull fragments.

"As far back as 1938, the director of the F.B.I., J. Edgar Hoover, wrote to the then curator of the Jeffersonian Institution, Professor Daniel Payne, to aid in the evaluation of specimens who were thought to be irrefutably human. This was the result."

She changed the slide, and a drawing of an ape appeared on the screen. The audience started to laugh.

"Despite this early disagreement, the F.B.I. and the Jeffersonian have forged a mutually beneficial, if somewhat tense, relationship which survives to this day. Thank you."

The students applauded and Zack, along with Goodman, stepped to the podium.

"Thank you, Dr. Brennan."

"Are there any questions?"

A girl in the audience raised her hand.

"Yes?"

"How much money have you made from your book?"

"I don't really know. I have an accountant and an agent-"

The head of the Jeffersonian cut her off:

"That's not really the kind of question we're looking for from an anthropology student."

A guy raised his hand:

"Did you get your agent before or after you wrote the book?"

Brennan moved toward the podium to answer, but Zack spoke first.

"People, Dr. Brennan is an accomplished forensic anthropologist who writes books on the side."

In the audience, Special Agent Seeley Booth stood up:

"I have a question regarding the role of the F.B.I. in your book: Who did you base the brilliant and insightful Special Agent Andy Lister on?"

Director Sam Cullen, who had been sitting by Booth's side, also stood up:

"And who did you base the smart and also very insightful Director Jeremy Croly on?"

"Oh, for God's sake." – Doctor Goodman shook his head and smiled at his lover. Zack did the same.

"Because, you know, I'm pretty sure it was us."

* * *

Doctor Daniel Goodman's Office

Jeffersonian Institute

Zack quietly entered the office. Behind the big mahogany desk stood the head of the Jeffersonian and Director Cullen.

"You two wanted to see me?"

"Yes, Mister Addy, please sit down."

"You see, when agent Booth agreed to work alongside Doctor Brennan we were…"

"Concerned, to say the least."

Zack decided to be blunt:

"You two thought it wouldn't work."

"Yes. But what we didn't count on was someone being a bridge between Brennan's strictly scientific self and Booth's psychology practice."

"Why am I really here?"

"We gave it a lot of thought. You can't be a consultant to the FBI until you get your doctorate, but this partnership can't work without your help."

"So, for all the effects, you're a consultant, but you can't include your name in any official reports."

"Let me get this right, I'm an official unofficial agent?"

* * *

Jeffersonian Institute's Parking Lot

Washington D.C.

Outside the building, Zack, Brennan and Booth are walking side-by-side.

"Local police got an anonymous call saying that there were human remains in a field behind a mall in the suburbs."

"I did an anthropological profile of the suburb as a grad student. The whole notion of a created community, a modern utopia with its own mores and rules... It's fascinating."

"Fascinating to who?"

"To 'whom', Seeley."

"Whom." - They stop at a shiny, silver sports car and the FBI agent laughed. – "You've got to be kidding."

"What? My publishers gave it to me."

"Gave it to you?"

"Book sales are pretty good. It's supposed to be a nice car."

Booth was shocked:

"Gave it to you?"

"Yeah."

"Why did you park crooked, Dr Brennan?"

"Well, the guy said to always park it like that."

Booth spoke up:

"He's wrong. It makes you look like an idiot."

"How about I drive for once?"

"No, I cannot show up at a crime scene in that."

"Why not?"

"Because it would detract from the gravity of my F.B.I. presence. Especially if you parked crooked."

Zack decided to change the subject:

"Why is the F.B.I. involved in the search for human remains behind a suburban mall, Seeley?"

Booth pulled a paper out of his jacket and handed it to his lover.

"Because this boy is missing."

"Oh… A child."

"Yeah."

* * *

The field behind Clayton Hills Mall

Washington D.C.

The field agents are speaking with a police officer.

"Anonymous call came in a couple hours ago. No sign of him yet."

"How do you know it wasn't a prank?"

The officer started to play a recording of the call:

"You have to come right away! There's, like, a dead kid here, all rotted away! It's in the field behind Clayton Hills Mall. You better come!"

"Well, that rings true." – Booth commented.

The anthropologist was puzzled:

"Why anonymous?"

"Kids come here to party, misbehave."

"Adolescents and preadolescents tend to seek out their own space to establish their own society, to counter parental influence."

"Nice. Samuel?"

"Nathan."

The LEO turned to Bones:

"You mind if I make an observation?"

"No, of course not."

"In your book, the cops come off as very one-dimensional. Why is that?"

"You mean two-dimensional. One-dimensionality exists only in theory as a mathematical value." – Zack offered.

"Okay. Really looking forward to your next book."

The officer left.

"Did you bring the thermal imager, Zack?"

"Yeah, I'll get it."

Moments later, he came back wearing the thermal imager, which looks like a large orange and yellow helmet.

"How's it going there, Darth? See anything on Saturn?"

Zack chuckled at his lover's joke.

"I should be able to see any heat residue released from decomposing bodies." – He walked around a bit. – "I'm picking something up."

Zack took off the imager.

"Oh my God."

"What? Why'd you stop?"

"You can turn on your flashlight. Aim it over there. I'm going to call Vincent and Wendell, Doctor Brennan, I have a feeling we are going to need all hands on deck."


	2. Chapter 01

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I change the character highlighted on each scene. Words in italic are their thoughts.
> 
> Again, Skeleton Room is how I call that room where they analyze the deceased with more care.
> 
> Main characters in each scene are Zack Addy (The Match and The Chloroform), Seeley Booth (The Family, The Videogame and The Busted), Vincent Nigel-Murray (The Invitations), Angela Montenegro (The Rubber Band) and Wendell Bray (The Surveillance Video).

Chapter One

In which the family is spoken to, a clue is found and Charlie's last minutes are shown.

 

Forensic Platform

Medical-Legal Lab

The child's body was surrounded by the squint squad.

The female anthropologist spoke first:

"Before proceeding with maceration, any general observations? Zack?"

"Epiphyseal fusion puts the age at approximately six to ten years, though the stature suggest younger."

"Good. I concur. Cause of death?"

"Blunt trauma to the chest." – A British voice answered her.

Hodgins walked over to Angela, concern clear on his face

"Are you all right, Ange?"

"He's so small. That's all. Go on with your work. I'm okay."

"If you can't take it anymore, you tell me."

The entomologist returned to the table.

_It's comforting to see how much they love each other._

"The remains were significantly…" – He lowered his voice, so the woman he loved couldn't hear. – "Degraded by insect and animal activity, mostly dog and rodent. Despite the condition of the body, he's been dead between only thirty-six to forty-eight hours."

Zack gestured towards the victim's clothes while looking at Vincent:

"These were found a few yards from the body. Notice that they are in perfect condition. What does that tell you, Vince?"

The British squint gasped:

"The victim wasn't wearing them when he was killed."

_Vince is so shocked he didn't even offer any statistics._

"Which suggests he was sexually assaulted." – Wendell completed.

Angela approached the table and handed a sheet of paper to Brennan:

"I'm done."

Brennan took the sketch to a computer screen and compared it to the missing flier.

"I think we have a match. The clothing matches. It's Charles Gregory Sanders."

* * *

Margaret Sanders' House

Washington D.C.

Inside, Zack and Booth were talking with Charles' mother, Margaret Sanders, and one of the Sanders' neighbors, Ellie Nelson. The one who started the talk was the official field agent:

"On behalf of the F.B.I., we're extremely sorry for the loss of your son."

The unofficial field agent continued:

"And I have a few questions, I mean, if you are up to it." – He waited for her nod. – "You have two other sons?"

"Foster sons. Though I try not to make the distinction."

The blond neighbor completed:

"Shawn and David Cook. They are brothers. I live right next door."

"Charlie was your own?"

Margaret's voice broke while answering positive:

"Yes. Charlie was mine."

"What about Mr. Sanders?"

"We divorced shortly before Charlie was even born. He works overseas."

"He doesn't even send child support."

_Meddling much?_

"You mind if I ask how you afford this nice neighborhood?"

"Child Services wouldn't allow a single mother to foster if she worked. I live off the proceeds of a generous trust fund my parents set up long ago."

"And the day that Charlie disappeared – all three boys went to the park?"

Ellie answered first, with Margaret completing:

"It's two blocks away. It's a very safe neighborhood. They walk farther to school."

"We all keep an eye out for each other around here. People are good neighbors, take an interest."

A door opened:

"Mom?"

The house's owner called out:

"She's in here, Skyler."

Skyler Nelson entered with Shawn and David Cook.

"This is my son, Skyler."

"Dad told me to bring the boys back. We gotta go on a job." – The oldest explained.

"Job?" – Booth whispered to his lover.

"The extermination van parked outside, no doubt, Seeley."

The other two complained about returning:

"There's nothing to do here."

"Our video game's broke."

"Shawn, David, this is Agents Booth and Addy. They're gonna find out what happened to Charlie."

"How're you gonna figure it out?"

"Oh, we're with the F.B.I. We always figure it out. Boys, I mean, if it's alright with your mother, maybe I could help you out with your video game."

Margaret nodded, and the boys head off with Booth following behind them. Zack stayed behind.

"Mrs. Sanders, is it possible that the boys went someplace other than the park?"

"I… I don't know. I suppose it is."

He covered her hand and calmed her:

"Relax. What happened was not your fault. And you can rest assured, we will catch the killer."

* * *

David and Shawn Cook's room

Margaret Sanders' House

Booth was helping the kids with their videogame.

David was skeptical at the FBI agent, who was putting a controller back together:

"Do you know what you're doing?"

_Kind of._

"Yeah. I can fix anything."

"Cool."

"You guys, uh, you guys have girlfriends?"

"I do."

"Her name's Leila."

"I thought you were gonna ask us questions about Charlie."

"Yeah, so which one of you puny mortals wants to challenge me first?"

"Oh, me!"

Shawn sat on the floor and started to play against the FBI agent.

* * *

Outside Margaret Sanders' House

Washington D.C.

Booth and Zack were finally leaving the house, with all its inhabitants following.

"All right, look, you beat me bad."

"No wonder you don't have a girlfriend."

_Maybe it's because I prefer Zack._

"David!"

"It's okay, Mrs. Sanders. It's alright. No, I do have a girlfriend."

"Is she pretty?"

"Nah, she's butt ugly. Got a glass eye, snaggly back teeth. So, was Leila with you the day that Charlie disappeared?"

_With any luck I won't end up in the doghouse._

Zack mock glared at his lover while they received the answer.

"Uh, yeah, actually. We stopped and played some video games at the arcade."

"That must've been before you and Charlie went to the park."

"You didn't go to the mall that day, David. Shawn?"

"Don't ask Shawn, mom."

"You met Leila at the mall, didn't you? You left Charlie with Shawn at the park."

"Well, just for a few minutes, and then they came back to the mall."

"David!"

"And then we came straight home."

"Charlie wasn't taken from the park; he was snatched from the mall." – The squint, who'd kept silent ever since arriving at the front yard, figured it out. – "We've been looking in the wrong place."

* * *

Doctor Temperance Brennan and Mister Zack Addy's Office

Jeffersonian Institute

"These are invitations to a banquet."

Dr. Goodman handed it to all the squints.

"You called a special meeting to invite us to a party?"

"Don't this of it as an invitation, consider it a summons. It's for donors."

"Meet and greet, press the flesh, butt kiss…"

"I don't like it any more than you do, Dr. Hodgins, but these people fund our research, and all they want in return is to rub elbows with a scientist every once in awhile."

"I can't make it." – Zack raised an eyebrow at his housemate's lie.

"Yeah, me neither."

The British squint raised a hand.

"Yes, Mr. Nigel-Murray?"

"Are we allowed to take a companion?"

"Who are you thinking about, Vincent?"

"I am thinking about you, Wendell."

_This moment scared me. But I recon it was not that bad._

Angela opened her mouth to comment, but the head of the Jeffersonian beat her to the punch:

"When I said you should think of this invitation as a summons, I understated. It's a subpoena. A grand-jury subpoena. Ignore it at your own peril."

"You're not gonna fire us if we don't go."

"No, not fire you, but I can move your parking spot to Lot M. Enjoy the shuttle ride."

"The shuttle smells like feet."

"I know when I'm beat. I'm in."

"What the hell, it's a party."

"Do I have to wear a tie?"

"Formal wear. I've arranged for a limo to pick us up here."

"Not me. I'm not afraid of parking or feet."

"Wait, Hodge, you drive me to work. You can't just think of yourself."

"Repercussions and consequences, Dr. Hodgins. I'm your boss, and you will go to this banquet."

Hodgins snapped a rubber band that's around his wrist when Goodman left.

"Don't worry, Hodge, we'll find a way for you to stay behind, and keep the parking place." – The entomologist heard his best friend whisper.

Both nodded and turned to Angela, who was asking Vincent for details on his and Wendell's relationship.

* * *

Skeleton Room

Jeffersonian Institute

Zack approached the British squint:

"You about to clean the bones, Vince?"

"Yes. I'm warming up the boiler now."

"Something wrong?"

"These are the smallest remains I've ever worked on."

"Go."

"What?"

"Go. Grab Wendell and leave. Go do what you need to blow off steam and when you return, the job will have been completed."

"You can't always protect me."

"But when I will while I still can."

"Thank you."

"You are welcome."

Vincent left the room and Bones came in while Zack started to talk with the deceased.

"What happened to you, Charlie? Who killed you?"

The squint approached the corpse's mouth and noticed a faint smell.

"Chloroform." – He said so low, not even his boss managed to hear it.

The female anthropologist made her presence known:

"I was at Waco, Branch Davidian compound. I helped identify children who had been killed in the fire. Seventeen of them."

"It never gets easier, does it?"

"We're primates. Social creatures. It's coded into our DNA to protect our young. Even from each other." – She took a deep breath. – "What helps me is to pull back emotionally. Just… put your heart in a box."

"Focus on the details." – She nodded. – "No trauma to the skull. No compound fractures. Charlie was not beaten to death or dismembered."

"It helps not to refer to the victim by name."

"It also dehumanizes him, Doctor Brennan." – _I think the killer already did enough of that._ \- "Greenstick fractures on ribs four, five, six, and seven. And the sternum is snapped transversally from the tip to the xiphoid. It indicates his chest was struck by a heavy, blunt object."

"Are you completely certain we've learned everything we can from the body at this stage of decomposition?"

"Wendell, Vincent and I all have been over everything. I just have to take samples from the mouth, jaw, sinuses, and… what's left of the esophagus."

She smiled:

"You noticed the chloroform."

Zack smiled back:

"I have a pretty good teacher."

* * *

Medical-Legal Lab

Jeffersonian Institute

Hodgins placed the victim's jawbone into a plastic box and closed the lid as Angela approached:

"What's with the rubber band?"

"Methyl oxide vapor in this chamber will bind to whatever compound Charlie breathed in before he was killed."

_Don't ignore me._

Angela reached over and snapped the rubber band.

"Ouch!"

"It's an anger management technique, right?"

"The key there is management, which is what I'm doing. Managing my anger." - Meanwhile the plastic box filled with vapor. – "There'll be a color change. Red for pnictogens and chalcogens, and blue for halogens."

"I get that you're a little off-kilter."- _I like that about you._ – "Maybe even furious that you've had to mount a little boy's jawbone inside a box to find out what killed him. What I don't get is why going to a banquet makes you angry."

The vapor cleared, revealing blue –tinted bone parts.

"Halogens it is. I'm gonna scrape off the particles and see if the mass spectrometer can identify what type of halogen. And I'm not telling you because you need the distraction of finding it out during this case."

_You know me so well._

She turned to leave, but stopped to snap the rubber band against his wrist one more time.

"Thanks, Hodge." – Snap! – "And don't forget about our date."

She walked away, with her hips swinging slightly more than normal.

* * *

Angela Montenegro's Office

Jeffersonian Institute

Angela and Booth were making small talk when Wendell and Vincent walked in.

"I can't even guess what you two were doing."

"Leave them alone, Angela."

Vince blushed on cue:

"Did you know that Cleopatra had twins from her relationship with Mark Anthony? Cleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios."

"Well, if I had any doubts, I don't anymore."

"What did you want us here for?"

She turned to her computer and explained:

"There are twenty surveillance cameras taking stills every two seconds throughout the mall, including access corridors and parking lots. I concentrated on the ones aimed at the public concourse."

"Okay, ten thousand people a day go through that mall. How are we gonna find one small kid?" – The FBI agent mirrored the blond squint's thoughts.

"I designed a mass recognition program to apply body types to skeletal remains. Endomorph, ectomorph, mesomorph, that sort of thing. I modified it to scan two dimensional images. In this case, we're looking for body masses roughly congruent with Charlie, Shawn, and David."

Vincent pointed at the screen:

"There is David."

Booth turned to Angela:

"You're actually one of them."

"One of who?"

"A squint. I mean, you look normal and you act normal, but you're actually one of them."

_Says the guy who's a honorary squint._

"This whole mass recognition program was Brennan's idea. I'm completely normal. Really."

"Yeah, maybe before you got this job and started dating Hodgins. But now…"

"I see Charlie." – The British squint pointed to the screen once again.

"Oh. That's him, all right." – Wendell was gifted with one of Vince's rare smiles.

"Oh God."

"Ange? Are you okay?"

"It's just… these are probably the last pictures of this little… guy alive. Why is he alone? Why isn't anybody with him?" – She stopped talking for a moment. – "Sorry. Max resolution is X-40 by 480 pixels per square inch."

"No, wait, he's not alone. Someone's calling him over. Can't you just zoom in?"

"This isn't CSI Washington, Booth. The fewer pixels that make up an image, the more the picture degrades once we zoom in on it. Did that sound too squinty?"

_Just a bit._

"Any way to enhance it?"

"Well, I wouldn't bet a date with Colin Farrell on it."

"Would you bet a date with Hodge?"

The artist started to mock glare at Vincent.

"Now look, wait. The kid was definitely moving toward someone. He wasn't struggling. He wasn't trying to get away. You know, I want to add the neighborhood kid Skyler Nelson to the list of possible suspects."

"I have one other angle, but our bad guy is still obstructed in it."

They all stared at the screen.

"Who the hell are you?"


	3. Chapter 02

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I change the character highlighted on each scene. Words in italic are their thoughts.
> 
> Sorry for taking this long to update. It's just that I have this big evaluation coming up and I need to get ready. So expect no writing up until after December 3rd. Then there will be a big boom of writing up to the week leading to January 20th; when I'll stop again and after that date the writing cycle restarts.
> 
> And yes, the waitress is a reference to The Closer.
> 
> Main characters in each scene are Angela Montenegro (The Middle Name and The Cantilever Group), Zack Addy (The Coffee Break, The Interrogation – The Mother and The Interrogation – The Brother), Seeley Booth (The Human, The Kidnapping Charges and The Abductor's Face), Vincent Nigel-Murray (The Jell-O Shots) and Jack Hodgins (The Writer).

Chapter Two

In which the mystery person is revealed, a woman is arrested and Zack vows to do justice.

Jeffersonian Institute's Hallway

Washington D.C.

Angela was sitting on a bench when her best friend approached:

"Are you thinking of leaving the Jeffersonian?"

_Maybe._

"I'm not really this person."

Brennan sat down:

"What person?"

"I'm not like you. I'm not driven by the need for justice and all that. I'm a good-time girl."

"We have good times."

"Cracking jokes over murdered skeletons is not good times."

"I know it's harder on you than it is for the rest of us."

"No, it's not." – She paused. – "Why?"

"Because you look at their faces. We look at everything else. It's more clinical for us. For you – it's personal. When we see a murdered child-"

"Honey I… I'm, no offense, I'm really not up for one of your 'it takes a village' anthropology lessons. This is the longest I've ever had a job. That's because of you."

"If this is about hours, or time to do your own art, then-"

Angela cut Brennan off:

"Just let me work on it, okay? I'm an artist. I used to draw naked guys." – _Really nice and hot naked guys._ – "Now I draw dead guys."

"Just don't decide anything without talking to me."

"Of course I won't."

The artist leaned back and sighed. Bones got up and left as Mini-Bones arrived:

"Would you like to go out for a coffee?"

_Yes._

A grunt was his only answer.

"Would you like if I pay?"

_Yes._

Grunt.

"What if I tell you Hodgins' middle name?"

She grabbed her purse and got up in less than 2 seconds:

"So, where are we going?"

* * *

The Royal Diner

Washington D.C.

"If you're going to give me an anthropologist lecture, don't bother."

"I wouldn't dare."

A waitress came by. She had a southern belle appearance, but the way she moved made Zack think she was from L.A. Her nametag read 'Brenda Lee'.

"What can I get you, sugar? A soda?"

"I'm not allowed to have those. Two coffees, please."

"Coming right up." – She winked at them and left.

"She's kind of intense. I like her. And why aren't you allowed to drink soda?"

"I get hyper. Last time, I and Seeley had sex seven times."

Angela whistled and gave Zack an up-down.

"I have a new appreciation for you."

Zack waited until their drinks arrived ('Need anything else just whistle, Hun.') to speak:

"I know how hard this must be for you. You can't put your heart in a box, as would Dr. Brennan say. But the fact is you don't need to." – He sighed. – "We need you not to. We need someone to remind us that the skeleton was a person."

"Well, maybe Hodge or Brennan, but you don't need me. I remember how you were during Nestor Olivos' case."

_Thank you._

Zack blushed slightly.

"Will you stay?"

"I might. Hey, I was almost forgetting, what is Hodgins' middle name?"

"Stanley."

Angela broke into a howling laughter.

* * *

Medico-Legal Lab

Jeffersonian Institute

Booth and Bones were walking down the corridor.

"I'm afraid Angela might quit."

_Hodgins is going to be crushed._

"I'm actually amazed she stuck it out this long."

"Why?"

"Oh, because she's human." - Brennan went to slap the FBI agent, but he moved out of the way. - "I'm sorry, Bones, it's just that, you know, uh… Angela didn't get the same training that the rest of you got on, uh, planet Vulcan."

"I don't know what that means."

* * *

The Skeleton Room

Jeffersonian Institute

The official field agents entered the room, finding inside Vincent and Wendell.

"She's more sensitive."

"Who's more sensitive?"

"Angela."

"She likes puppies and kitties and ducklings, and, you know, Jell-O shots and, you know, dancing on bars."

"Hey, I like Jell-O shots!" – Wendell commented.

"Did you know that there have been 36 flavors of JELL-O? Apple, Celery, Chocolate, Coffee and Cola have been flavors."

"Really? Celery?"

Vincent nodded.

Bones didn't hear them:

"I know that. She's my best friend. And Angela's not the only person in the world who likes baby animals."

Wendell cleared his throat:

"We cross-referenced the length and density of Charlie's leg bones with other children his age."

Booth stared at the skeleton and was obviously emotionally affected by it. So affected that Vincent noticed.

_Maybe he has a child._

"The thing to do is concentrate on the details, Agent Booth."

"Let's do that."

The British squint nodded and continued:

"We found some abnormalities. They're bowed, and abnormally short."

"Also, the victim's show freezing of the joints at the hip and knee."

"Are you saying Charlie was crippled?"

"I'm afraid so."

"His mother never mentioned that."

"The ribs are broken in two places, which is not typical of blunt-force trauma."

"How do you explain that?" – The female anthropologist quizzed the squints.

"I'd attribute it to his medical condition and the corresponding brittleness of his bones."

"I agree. What is that condition?"

"Seeing as though there are multiple calcified lesions on the posterior thoracic vertebrae. That, plus Charlie's short stature, and the asymmetric length of his legs… Margaret Sanders may not be Charlie's biological mother."

Brennan nodded while Booth started at the British squint.

Vincent mouthed:

'I called Zack.'

"What do you mean; Margaret Sanders may not be Charlie's biological mother?"

Bones ignored him:

"Test the bones for X-linked hypophosphatemia and Coffin-Lowry Syndrome." – She paused for a bit and added 'Please.' as an afterthought.

"Whoa, whoa. Okay, hold on. Simmer down, just back up to the part where she's not his mother."

"Dr. Brennan is having us check for hereditary genetic defects which are always passed from mother to child."

"If Charlie had one, then Margaret Sanders is not his mother."

* * *

Interrogation Room

J. Edgar Hoover Building (FBI)

The FBI agent and his lover were interrogating ('Interviewing!' 'She lied! Suspect!' 'Person of interest!') Mrs. Sanders.

"How can you say that?" - Margaret asked with a lost look in her eyes.

Zack and Booth took turns:

"Charlie suffered from a hereditary genetic disorder called hypophosphatemia."

"Charlie's real mother would have the same disease."

"You do not."

"Never say I wasn't Charlie's real mother, because I was."

"Biological mother, then. Mrs. Sanders, you are not Charlie's biological mother. You want to explain that to us?"

"I can't have children. That's why my husband left me. So I took in foster kids."

"Like Shawn and David."

"And Charlie. Though his name was Nathan. I got him as a baby down in Pittsburgh. Ten days old. His mother was arrested on drug charges, and Child Services brought him to me. Three weeks I had him. Then the charges were dropped."

"You kept him?"

"No. I gave him back. But it nearly killed me. I stayed in touch. I bought him things – formula, stroller. I wanted to make sure he was all right."

_You couldn't have killed him._

"Nathan what, Mrs. Sanders?"

"Nathan Downey. His mother was a drug addict named Janine. Christmas Day I found her dead on her kitchen floor, a needle stuck in her arm. And I could hear Charlie, crying upstairs. So I went up."

"And you took him home."

"I looked him in the eyes, and I promised him I would never leave him alone again. And he stopped crying." – _What a beautiful story._ – "I expected every day for Child Services to come looking."

"He would've ended up back in the system anyway."

Margaret broke down and started to cry:

"I meant to keep him safe… and love him. And now he's dead."

Zack and Booth looked sadly at each other.

* * *

Special Agent Seeley Booth's Office

J. Edgar Hoover Building (FBI)

"I had to arrest her."

"I know."

"She confessed to kidnapping."

"I know. But why would she kill Charlie? She loved him."

"There are situations, right? The kid gets sick; he doesn't turn out to be what you wanted. I bet that you could give me a dozen examples of societies that have killed their own young."

"Who are you trying to convince, Seeley? Me? Or yourself?"

"I don't know."

"What about Shawn and David Cook? Where do they go now?"

"Back into the system."

"Do you have any idea how bad the foster care system is?"

"Do you? What do you want to do, hmm? Do you want to kidnap them, the way that she kidnapped Charlie?"

_I know I do._

"Don't antagonize me, Seeley!"

Zack displayed an uncharacteristic anger, which made Booth stop and think about what he had said.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to yell."

Zack sighed.

"I want you to let them go home to Margaret Sanders."

"I want that too; but it's not gonna happen."

The squint mumbled something.

"What?"

"Can we go see Parker after this case is over? I can't stop thinking what if it was him."

_Wow. You really bonded with him._

"I didn't realize how much you were affected by this. I'll ask Rebecca."

"Thank you."

Booth approached Zack and hugged him tightly. The squint sighed sadly:

"Why would someone do that?" – The agent recognized it as a rhetorical question. – "Why is life so hard?"

"I don't know, Zack." – The older man kissed the younger on the top of his head. – "I don't know."

* * *

Angela Montenegro's Office

Jeffersonian Institute

Angela and Zack were bent over the computer discussing what could be done to enhance the surveillance photo.

"Try redigitizing and resizing."

"I did. The extrapolation protocol got confused by the spread. Hey, you know Hodgins better than anybody else. So why is he so bent out of shape about this banquet?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Because every time someone mentions it, he starts snapping that rubber band around his wrist."

"I'm not going to tell you. Hodgins wants you to figure it out."

_Damn you psychic powers!_

The FBI agent entered the artist's office:

"Okay, anything on the identity of Charlie's abductor?"

"I can't clear up this image any more than it is. Any idea why Hodge is angry about the banquet?"

"I don't know, he's weird. Hey, have you ever wondered if he is one of those Hodgins?"

"Who are 'those' Hodginses?"

"You know, the Cantilever Group Hodgins?"

"Oh my God."

"The same Cantilever Group that generates more G.N.P. than Europe and the single biggest donors to the Jeffersonian Institution."

Booth laughed:

"That makes Hodgins your boss."

* * *

Doctor Temperance Brennan and Mister Zack Addy's Office

Jeffersonian Institute

Brennan was sitting at her desk, her hair tied up in a ponytail and determination on her face. She was typing fiercely when the entomologist entered:

"Chem lab mass spectrometer identifies the particulates in Charlie Sanders' mouth as fluoride." – He paused and looked at the female anthropologist. – "I recognize that look."

"What?"

A rolling board of notes caught his eyes.

"You're writing another book. When you write, you get this stunned look on your face like you stuck a fork in a toaster. Am I in this one too?"

"You weren't in the last one. Fluoride? At what concentration?"

"It's too high for toothpaste."

"Put together a list of -" - She noticed his inattention due to his reading of the notes. She pushed the board away from him. – "Put together a list of anything that could conceivably contain fluoride at those levels."

"All right. Do you have time for this?"

"They gave me a car."

"Nice. Who?"

"My publisher. Now I feel like I have to earn it by writing another book."

"Fight coercion in all its forms. You don't write the book, I don't go to the banquet. Solidarity."

_I can picture Angela and Zack rolling their eyes at this._

Booth entered as Hodgins left ('Hey.' 'Hey.' 'Angela found out.' 'Zack told her?' 'No.' 'Okay then.').

"Angela has a face for the abductor."

She left quickly. Booth stared at the board of notes before going after her.

* * *

Angela Montenegro's Office

Jeffersonian Institute

The field agents (official and unofficial) and Angela were crowded around the computer.

"I looked on both cameras. This one offered up more reflective surfaces."

"Right at the door." – The FBI agent completed.

"Check this out."

It was Zack's turn to complete Angela's sentence:

"The abductor's face."

"By polarizing the image, the computer can interpret the spaces between the white and the dark gaps and fill in the missing pieces."

"Wait. That doesn't look like an adult."

_Please don't be who I'm thinking._

"When I repolarize the image…"

The blurry picture cleared the artist gasped:

"Shawn Cook."

"The victim's foster brother."

* * *

Interrogation Room

J. Edgar Hoover Building (FBI)

Shawn Cook was drawing pictures in some spilled water on the table. Booth was questioning him as a child advocate sat nearby. Zack and a juvenile prosecutor watched from behind the one way mirror.

"Where were you taking Charlie, Shawn?"

"I brought him to the mall to see David."

"I know you brought him to the mall. But we got a picture of you… leading him out of the mall."

He slid a printed image of the picture from Angela's computer in front of Shawn.

Behind the glass, Zack asked the prosecutor:

"Have you seen much of this kind of thing?"

"I'm a juvenile prosecutor. I wish I could say kids killing kids was rare."

_I don't think he did it._

Back in the room, Booth repeated the question:

"Where were you taking him, Shawn?"

"When can I talk to Margaret?"

"Soon. I'll make it possible."

_Truth._

Booth lifted the hem of his shirt:

"Shawn, you know what that is?"

"A scar?"

Booth tucked his shirt back in:

"Yeah. Got it when I was playing soldier with my brother Jared."

"Did it hurt?"

"Yeah, it hurt. But it was an accident. You got any scars?"

Shawn rolled up his sleeve, showing a few round marks on his arm.

"My dad did it with a cigarette."

"He shouldn't have done that."

Shawn slid his sleeve back down.

"Margaret didn't do anything like that. I love Margaret."

"What I need to know is if Charlie had some kind of an accident."

The kid kept silent.

"Shawn?"

"Maybe we can just take a break."

Behind the glass, the prosecutor commented:

"He's not being aggressive enough."

"Foster kids are powerless. They're treated like garbage. You're in a position to do something about it, and all you have to say is 'He's not being aggressive enough'?"

"Mister Addy, you know this boy may very well have beaten a child to death with a rock?"

"We both know you are grasping at straws, Austin. Shawn did not kill Charlie." - The prosecutor left. – "And I am going to prove it."


	4. Chapter 03

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I change the character highlighted on each scene. Words in italic are their thoughts.
> 
> Just one small chapter and an epilogue to go!
> 
> Main characters in each scene are Jack Hodgins (The Admission), Seeley Booth (The Broken Pencil and The Killer's Name) and Zack Addy (The Holograms).

Chapter Three

In which COD is determined and the killer's name is made known.

 

 

Forensic Platform

Medico-Legal Lab

Hodgins was working as his artist walked up to him:

"How long have we known each other?"

"Do people really ever know each other?"

"How come you never invited me over to your house?"

"Oh, I hadn't picked up that kind of vibe off you."

"I thought we were close. All of us. What else don't I know? Is Zack from another planet? Are Vince and Zack brothers?"

"Oh, come on. Those are obvious."

"You're rich. You single-handedly own the Cantilever Group. Don't deny, I know."

"Who else knows?"

"Zack, Booth."

Hodgins dismissed the information, shaking his hand at her:

"They already knew." – His voice turned to ice. – "Don't tell Brennan."

"Why don't you want us to know that you're actually our boss?"

"I don't want to be anybody's boss. I never did. Please respect that."

"Okay. But you have to know that this doesn't change a thing. I fell in love with you because of who you are, not because you're apparently loaded."

_Is she even aware of what she just said?_

The artist left, leaving behind a (very) shocked Hodgins. A British voice brought him back to the land of the living:

"What is troubling you?"

"It's… job pressure." – He paused. – "Fluoride at lower concentrations is used in toothpaste, instant tea, and is added to our drinking water. Which, I might add, can cause a range of conditions, brain damage…"

"Did you know that from 1608 to around 1850, China was the sole source of all the tea drunk in the Western World?"

_I'll never know how he can keep so many facts inside his little British head._

"No, I didn't." - Hodgins paused for a moment before continuing. – "The concentrations found on our victim might come from wood preservatives, paint thinners, car wax, or various other industrial products."

He handed Vincent a list, which he stuck to a clipboard.

"Okay. Did Angela say she loved you?"

"Yes. How did you know? Did you know? Vincent! Don't walk away from me!"

The British squint whistled as he made his way to the skeleton room. He handed Zack the clipboard ('Angela told Hodge.' 'She didn't notice, did she?' 'I don't think so. I just wanted to warn you.' 'Thank you.') and went to the reception area, where Wendell was waiting for him.

"What is going on?"

"Angela told Hodgins she loved him."

"Oh."

"Where were you?"

"Visiting my sister."

Visiting my nephew.

Vincent could read what Wendell said between the lines.

"Okay. Let's go see Angela."

The British squint offered his hand, which his lover took and kissed it.

"Sure."

"Do you know that I love you?"

"That's a fact I'll never get tired of hearing."

* * *

Skeleton Room

Medico-Legal Lab

Brennan was writing notes, while Zack read the information on the clipboard Vincent had handed him, when the FBI agent came in:

"Bones, I thought you'd like to know that Shawn and David are in emergency care. Pulled some strings, you know, to make sure that they get to stay together."

"That's good, thanks."

"Thank you, Seeley." – The squint pulled his lover into a gentle kiss.

"It's the best I could do."

'I know.' – Zack mouthed while Bones said 'Yeah, I understand.'

"No, you say you understand, but you don't. Not really. I mean, if you don't like the rule, you ignore it, right?" - Booth stepped towards Brennan and leaned onto the table. - "I can't have that. And if you want to do this."

The female anthropologist cut him off:

"Do what?"

"Work on cases, you know, with me. Outside the lab. If you wanna do that, I need to know that you will respect the law."

"Tell you what, if I can't respect the law, I can at least respect you."

_Wow. I really didn't expect this._

The men in the room were surprised to say the least.

"Well- Yeah, that'll work, too. I mean it kind of comes out of nowhere, but…"

Brennan and Zack noticed that the agent had broken her pencil when he leaned on the table. The pencil was broken in two places.

"Look what you did."

Booth shrugged:

"It's a pencil. I'll get you a new one."

"Charlie was killed by trauma to the chest, but the ribs are broken in two places, not just one."

"Uh, because of the, uh, brittle bones. Because of his disease."

"Well, that was our assumption, but there's another explanation."

Brennan left and the older man turned to his lover:

"Yeah, whoa. What's the other explanation?"

"Compression."

Zack went after his boss and Booth followed:

"Like Charlie Sanders was crushed to death?"

"Yes. Greenstick fractures. Vertebral and sternal. Like Doctor Brennan's pencil."

"Hey, Shawn Cook outweighed Charlie Sanders by, what, thirty pounds? How could he have crushed him to death?"

"That's the point, he couldn't."

_Thank God._

The two men finally caught up with Brennan, who was asking Angela to get the Angelator ready for some scenarios.

Zack and Bones walked off while the Jeffersonian Institute's bug man approached the artist and the FBI agent:

"Angela, Booth!" – They stopped. – "Zack has been informed that if he tells anyone who I am, I will kick him out on the street like a stray dog."

"And he let you get away with that?"

Hodgins shivered:

"Let's just say that his threats are very inventive."

"How inventive?"

"Stephen King should ask him for tips."

_That's my man._

"We're getting off track here. Anyway, there is nothing I can threaten you two with."

"Yeah, that's a shame."

"What I want out of my life is to come in here and sift through slime and bugs. Unfortunately, my family is one of those who secretly run the world."

"Paranoia and delusions of grandeur all in one package."

"You call it paranoia; I call it the family business."

"So does Zack."

"The reason that I do not want to go to that banquet is that the other members of the ruling elite will make a big fuss about seeing me. My secret will be out and my life, this life that I love, will be ruined. I'm asking you, please, please just let me be Jack Hodgins who works in the lab."

Booth took the hint and left the couple alone, choosing to find his lover.

"Jack, you don't need to blackmail us. And judging by Zack's answer you can't. We'll keep silent because you matter to us. Not that Booth will admit it."

* * *

Angela Montenegro's Office

Jeffersonian Institute

The entire squint squad was surrounding the Angelator. Hodgins was close to Ange as his way of comforting her. Booth was between Bones and Zack, close enough to hug either of them in case they needed. The unofficial agent was clutching his lover's hand while patting Vincent on the shoulder. The British squint was whispering things like 'It's just holographic imaging' and 'The sooner we do this, the sooner we can close this case' to his blond squint.

The patent pending invention was showing an image of Charlie.

The artist spoke first:

"Charlie was three feet, four inches tall and weighed fifty-eight pounds."

"And Shawn?"

"Shawn Cook is 1.4 meters tall and weighs 31 kilograms."

The FBI agent reminded them:

"His brother David was 5'8", 150 pounds."

Zack and Vincent provided the conversion to the metric system:

"1.75 meters"

"68 kilograms."

Each gave the other a small smile.

The female anthropologist filled Angela, Vince and Wendell in:

"At first, we thought the break to Charlie's sternum was caused by blunt trauma because it only ran along one fault line. But when Booth broke my pencil, Zack and I realized there's another way to cause the same type of injury. Compression."

"Wait, I found no particulates that suggest crushing."

"There's body weight."

"Exactly, Mr. Bray. There has to be enough weight on the victim to stop the abdomen from moving so no air can get into the lungs."

Angela typed some things on her keypad and a pair of legs appeared on top of Charlie's horizontal form. The bones of both people were shown through their bodies.

"Prolonged pressure caused the sternum to snap in half and the ribs to break."

The pressure of the body on top of Charlie caused the ribs to snap. Booth and Wendell were prompt to hold their lovers, and to be held by them. Hodgins put his arm around Angela's waist to help her keep standing.

"Sorry, sorry. I entered real-world variables, taking into account Charlie's size and the amount of pressure…" – She paused. – "that was required to break Charlie's sternum in the way that it was broken."

"What did you end up with?"

"86.2 kilograms."

The FBI agent needed his lover to translate:

"What's that in American, Zack?"

"190 pounds, Seeley."

"Way too much for either of the Cook kids or Margaret Sanders."

"I'd put the neighborhood kid Skyler at about 160 pounds."

"Then he didn't do it."

"Thank God for small graces." – Ange muttered and Hodge just nodded in answer.

"We should be looking for a full-grown man."

"You have to get Shawn to tell you where he took Charlie when they left the mall, Booth."

"He won't talk to me."

The female anthropologist offered:

"Let me do it."

"Uh, no. You know, people are not your strong point, Bones. And besides, he's not going to care how many facts you put in front of him."

"Could you just go with me on this one, Booth? We're trying to catch a killer. Let me help."

"No."

"What if I accompanied her, Booth? And you watched from behind the glass?"

_Because if I have to spend more time with Austin I am going to hit her._

* * *

Interrogation Room

Edgar Hoover Building (FBI)

This time, Booth was the one keeping the prosecutor company, as Zack and Brennan talked to Shawn Cook. The child advocate from before was also present.

"Do you remember us, Shawn?"

"The museum lady. The one who's so smart. And the other FBI guy. The smart one."

"Yeah, I'm pretty smart."

"And very modest."

_Very thin ice, Austin._

"Oh, believe me, he is being modest."

"Smart enough to know that you didn't kill Charlie."

Zack shut up and allowed Brennan to speak about her experiences:

"You don't have to say anything, Shawn. Just listen. They give you a garbage bag to carry all your stuff, like they're telling you everything you own is garbage. And then you have to go to a new school in clothes that smell like garbage bags."

"All the regular kids know you're a foster kid. How do you know what it's like?"

"They bounce you from place to place, and it's never home. Sometimes the foster parents are nice."

"Like Margaret?"

"Yeah. And sometimes they separate you from your brother. It must have been nice with Margaret, staying with David."

Shawn was starting to cry.

"We got bunk beds. At night, I knew David was there. Like he was guarding me. Margaret's nice."

_I was like that with Jared._

The squint decided to talk again:

"You'd do almost anything to stay with Margaret, right?" – He waited for the blond kid's nod. – "The man you took Charlie to, the man who hurt him, he knows that. You didn't know that he'd hurt Charlie, but he did. And then he told you that Margaret would blame you, that she'd hate you. But this man is lying to you, Shawn. I can make sure that you go back to Margaret."

"How?"

He pointed at the one-way mirror:

"Remember the other FBI agent who went to your house? The big one?"

"Yeah."

"If I ask him to, he will make sure that you and David get to live with Margaret again."

"Dr. Addy, you can't make promises like that."

"I can if I'll follow it through. He will do it. My friend will make it happen. But you have to tell me who hurt Charlie."

Special Agent Seeley Booth gave Austin his famous Cheshire Cat grin:

"I'm gonna need your help to keep the promises he made to that boy."

"Hey, I- I can't promise…"

"Mrs. Johnson, my people and your people are gonna have to make this happen."

_Or else._

Charlie was stuttering:

"What if Margaret doesn't want me anymore? Charlie was her real son."

The anthropologists were quick to tranquilize him:

"Charlie wasn't her biological son either."

"Charlie was just like you: someone that Margaret chose to love."

"I don't think we should let that man take you and David and Charlie away from Margaret, do you?" – Shawn shook his head. – "We should stop him."

Shawn sat, silently crying for a moment, before wrapping both Brennan and Zack in a hug. He whispered something into Zack's ear.

"They did it. They got his name."


	5. Chapter 04

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I change the character highlighted on each scene. Words in italic are their thoughts.
> 
> Now it's time for some (shameless) self-promotion. I've just made a Crossing Jordan fanfic and I'd like your input. You don't need to have seen the series to understand it.
> 
> Now, onto Bones!
> 
> Main characters in each scene are Seeley Booth (The Arrest), Angela Montenegro (The Folder and The Job Description), Vincent Nigel-Murray (The Casket) and Zack Addy (The Reuniting Family and The Ding).

Chapter Four

In which the killer is arrested and Angela makes a decision.

 

Outside of Margaret Sanders' House

Washington D.C.

Booth and Zack pulled up as Skyler and his father loaded up their van to go on a job.

The FBI agent approached them and arrested Mr. Nelson:

"Edward Nelson, you are under arrest for the sexual assault and murder of Charlie Sanders. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you free of charge…"

_Probably a crappy one who studied law in the internet._

Booth led Nelson to the FBI vehicle in handcuffs as Zack comforted Mrs. Nelson and her son. The squint and his lover drove off as Skyler hugged his crying mother.

* * *

Angela Montenegro's Office

Jeffersonian Institute

The artist set her sketch of Charlie next to his missing poster and closed the manila folder.

"I just hope that next case will be easier." – She sighed. – "Or less hurtful."

_Hell, I hope we don't catch a case like this in a very long time._

* * *

Forensic Platform

Medico-Legal Lab

Hodgins took the jaw bone he had tested and put it on a tray Vincent was holding.

"Go. Angela needs you."

The British squint left the platform and went to the skeleton room where Charlie was on a casket. Wendell was there waiting for him, as were some men in suits, who were in charge of carrying the casket.

Wendell, with a shaking hand, placed the jawbone inside the coffin and shut the lid. The two men in suits somberly took the casket out of the room as the couple watched.

"After the gala; do you want to visit your sister?"

_I know you need to._

"I'd like that."

Vincent hugged his blond squint and finally let all the emotion from the case flow down in the form of crystal tears.

* * *

J. Edgar Hoover Building (FBI)

Washington D.C.

Booth entered with Margaret Sanders:

"Boys."

David and Shawn rushed up to hug her.

"Mom!" - The two exclaimed at the same time, and then Shawn questioned her. – "Are we gonna be a family again?"

"Oh, you betcha."

Zack approached his lover:

"Thank you."

"I needed to do it."

"I needed it too."

Their eyes meet and both said 'I know.' at the same time.

"By the way, I called Rebecca. We'll pick Parker up tomorrow."

_Yay!_

"That's great."

"But there's a catch." – Booth paused. – "You have to meet her."

Zack glared at his lover and hit him on the back of his head:

"You had me thinking something much worse, Seeley."

* * *

Doctor Temperance Brennan and Mister Zack Addy's Office

Jeffersonian Institute

Brennan was once again typing her next novel when Booth entered:

"We have him cold. The insecticide he was using on the termites matches the fluoride concentration perfectly. Skyler's dad admitted everything."

"Don't tell me, he said crushing Charlie to death was a mistake."

"He never abused Shawn Cook; he just used him to get near Charlie. It played out just like you said. He had Charlie out in that field. Some teenage kids, they come by, so he knelt on Charlie to keep him from crying out. Shawn got scared and ran back to his brother."

"Charlie was small and weak. His sternum collapsed. You think he abused any other kids."

"Yeah, probably his own son."

"You report that to Child Services?"

"Mm-hmm. Try to get the kid some help." – He paused. – "Look, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"You have personal experience in the system."

"I was a foster child until my grandfather got me out."

"Yeah, when you said 'They take you away from your brother,' I kind of had the feeling you weren't talking about David Cook."

"Booth, I'll tell you all about it one day, but tonight I have to get dressed for a party."

"Oh. Okay, Bones."

"By the way, there's a huge ding in my passenger-side door because you told me not to park it at an angle."

Booth laughed:

"What?"

"Okay, that's just mean. You're mean."

_Yes, he is._

Both of the official agents could hear Zack's muffled laugh.

* * *

Medico-Legal Lab

Jeffersonian Institute

Goodman entered the lab and found the squint squad (minus Brennan and Booth) talking. Everyone was dressed formal, except Hodgins.

"That is not a tuxedo, Dr. Hodgins."

"I am not going, Dr. Goodman."

"You are going." - He stuck a nametag in Hodgins' lab coat pocket.

"When we arrive, the donor's will all be wearing nametags."

He handed a nametag to Zack:

"What do we talk about?"

"Your work, of course."

He moved towards Angela, who was skeptical:

"Zack's work consists of removing flesh from corpses. Hodgins dissects bugs that have been eating people's eyeballs."

"Leave me out of it. I'm not going."

"And how do you see your job, Miss Montenegro?"

"I draw death masks."

"Is that really how you see it?"

"Don't you?"

"You are the best of us, Miss Montenegro. You discern humanity in the wreck of a ruined human body. You give victims back their faces, their identities. You remind us all of why we're here in the first place. Because we treasure human life."

She paused for a moment before stepping forward and wrapping Dr. Goodman in a hug. He smiled and shook his head:

"Oh, for God's sake."

Brennan entered right at that moment:

"What happened?"

"Apparently all Angela needed was to hear her job description in a deep, African-American tone."

"Mister Bray."

Doctor Goodman finished handing out the nametags when Zack's escort arrived:

"Dr. Goodman, we need Hodgins in the lab tonight." - He handed an evidence bag filled with dirt to Hodgins. – "FBI needs this analyzed by morning."

Only the entomologist caught Zack's wink:

"Uh, I'll get right on it."

"Wait a minute, what case file is this, agent Booth?"

Bones was confused:

"Am I supposed to know about it?"

Angela saw the distraction as it was and helped her boyfriend:

"Booth mentioned it to me earlier today."

"It's the Elliott case, right, Seeley?"

"That's good enough for me."

Daniel Goodman sighed:

"Fine. You're off the hook, Dr. Hodgins. Let's not keep the limo waiting."

_I've made up my mind._

"Just one sec." – The artist held up her finger. – "I'll be right there."

"Fine."

When everyone left, she walked up to Hodge and kissed him:

"You, sir, still owe me a third date."

_And the sex that goes with it._

She got out of the building and into the limo.

"I see you made up your mind."

"Yeah. I'm not gonna let sex fuck this up."

Zack smiled and curled up against his FBI agent:

"I love the calm after the storm."

"I love it too." – Booth kissed his squint.

The End


	6. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I change the character highlighted on each scene. Words in italic are their thoughts.

* * *

Epilogue

In which the squints drive home after the gala.

Temperance

The anthropologist was in her new car ('Not so new anymore.' 'I hate you, Booth. Really, really hate you.') driving towards her apartment.

_Although it was nice, the affair was very tiring._

_I wonder why Hodgins didn't want to go. Maybe it's because those people 'secretly' run the country._

_I can't even imagine what he'll be like after he and Angela have sexual intercourse._

She flinched when she remembered something:

_I promised Angela we'd go to that club. Maybe she has forgotten about that._

As if on command, her phone started blasting the theme from 'Crossing Jordan' ('What? I work in a morgue.' 'We work in a medico-legal lab.' 'Sweetie, it's a morgue.').

The anthropologist put it on speaker:

"Yes, Angela?"

"You are not bailing out on me."

"Uh. I don't know what you mean."

"You. Me. The club. Not taking 'no' for an answer."

Bones exhaled:

"Fine."

"Great!"

"Bye, Ange."

"Bye, Tempe."

_I can't catch a break._

* * *

Angela

"Okay, so you just made a decision to have sex with the guy you've been seeing, no big." – The artist talked to herself while driving home. – "Which just may ruin the first real relationship you've had since Roxy, no problem."

_I am freaking out._

"And now I'm actually talking to myself. I need a drink."

Speaking of drink, didn't Brennan promise to go out with me?

She pressed her best friend's number on speed dial (3, if you must know):

"Yes, Angela?"

"You are not bailing out on me."

"Uh. I don't know what you mean."

"You. Me. The club. Not taking 'no' for an answer."

"Fine."

"Great!"

"Bye, Ange."

"Bye, Tempe."

As soon as she hang up, her cell phone rang again, playing the 'Batman Theme'.

"Yes, boy wonder?"

Zack sighed:

"You haven't changed it, have you?"

"Nope."

"I was calling you see if you have already freaked out about Hodgins."

"Did anyone ever tell you that you have psychic powers?"

"Seeley, Vincent, Wendell and Hodgins. My family as well."

"So I'm the last one to figure it out?"

"Doctor Brennan still hasn't." – ' _Figures.'_ Angela snorted. – "And you are avoiding the question."

"There wasn't any."

"Fine. Go insane. See if I care."

"Wait." – She inhaled. – "Yes. Yes, I'm freaking out."

"Go out. Get your mind off of things. Don't sabotage your relationship with Hodgins before it even has a chance to begin."

"But..."

"Stop. Who told me to reap the benefits of her 'sexual 'wisdom'? "

"Me."

"Who once said she was the best catch of the Jeffersonian?"

"I said I was the best sex."

"So." – _I can just see him blushing._ – "Relax. You'll 'charm his pants off'. Hopefully when I'm not at home."

"I never thought I'd see the day Zack Addy would say 'charm his pants off'. And another thing, if you ever get tired of being a bone person, you can make a killing as a psychologist."

"Bye, Ange."

* * *

Jack

In his very tiny red car ('It's not tiny, it's compact.' 'You've had to choose between me and a box of beetles, Hodge.' 'That wasn't because of the car. Ow! Why did you step on my foot, Zack?' 'You picked those beetles over me.'), the entomologist for the Jeffersonian Institute was going home after have run the data on the dirt Booth'd given him.

He picked up his phone after Garbage's 'Cherry Lips' started playing:

"What is it, Cherry Lips?"

"Nothing much, 'I Think I'm Paranoid'. I just wanted to tell you that I won't be returning home tonight."

"Okay."

"Oh, and Seeley is saying you should change your ringtone for me because he's the only one who can call me Cherry Lips."

Hodgins snorted.

* * *

Wendell

"Where to today, Vince?"

"My flat. We can go see Elaine and Noah in the morning."

_And we'll keep Noah all afternoon._

Vincent yawned.

"You know, you're very cute when you're almost sleeping."

"Did you know that-" – He cut himself off with another yawn.

"Well, I know now."

Vincent dozed off before Wendell even parked the car outside his lover's apartment. The blond squint played with a black hair curl, before getting out of the car, opening the passenger's door and taking his lover inside the apartment.

With the British squint in bed, Wendell quickly disposed of his clothes and slipped under the covers.

"I love you, Vince."

Vincent fought the sleep and muttered 'Love you too.' before going to dreamland once again.

* * *

Seeley

"So how are you, Zack?"

"I am glad we caught the killer, happy Charlie can finally rest, drained from work and the gala, excited for our day with Parker tomorrow and mildly scared about meeting Rebecca."

"That was thorough."

_I like it._

"You like when I'm thorough."

_My psychic squint._

Zack's brow furred:

"Are you making fun of me in your mind?"

"No. Yes."

"It's alright, Seeley." – _Phew._ – "I'm calling Hodgins."

Booth was able to hear the entomologist's side of the conversation as well.

"What is it, Cherry Lips?"

"He has to change that ringtone, Zack. Your cherry lips are mine and I'm the only one who should call you that."

Zack smiled at his lover and said to his best friend:

"Nothing much, 'I Think I'm Paranoid'. I just wanted to tell you that I won't be returning home tonight."

"Okay."

"Oh, and Seeley is saying you should change your ringtone for me because he's the only one who can call me Cherry Lips."

Zack hang up and started to dial another number.

_Who is he calling?_

'Angela.' was the mouthed answer.

_Again, psychic._

"What is it, boy wonder?"

"You haven't changed it, have you?"

"Nope."

"I was calling you see if you have already freaked out about Hodgins."

"Did anyone ever tell you that you have psychic powers?"

"Seeley, Vincent, Wendell and Hodgins. My family as well."

"So I'm the last one to figure it out?"

"Doctor Brennan still hasn't. And you are avoiding the question."

"There wasn't any."

"Fine. Go insane. See if I care."

"Wait. Yes. Yes, I'm freaking out."

"Go out. Get your mind off of things. Don't sabotage your relationship with Hodgins before it even has a chance to begin."

"But..."

"Stop. Who told me to reap the benefits of her 'sexual 'wisdom'? "

"Me."

"Who once said she was the best catch of the Jeffersonian?"

"I said I was the best sex."

_He's so hot when he blushes._

"So. Relax. You'll 'charm his pants off'. Hopefully when I'm not at home."

"I never thought I'd see the day Zack Addy would say 'charm his pants off'. And another thing, if you ever get tired of being a bone person, you can make a killing as a psychologist."

"Bye, Ange."

He closed his phone and Booth said:

"She's right, you know. You're great with people."

Zack blushed:

"Thank you, Seeley."

* * *

Vincent

"Where to today, Vince?"

"My flat. We can go see Elaine and Noah in the morning."

_Heaven knows we need it._

Vincent yawned.

"You know, you're very cute when you're almost sleeping."

"Did you know that-" – He cut himself off with another yawn.

"Well, I know now."

The British squint soon fell into a deep slumber.

Vincent was (slight) awakened by his lover's sentence:

"I love you, Vince."

"Love you too."

* * *

Zack

"So how are you, Zack?"

"I am glad we caught the killer, happy Charlie can finally rest, drained from work and the gala, excited for our day with Parker tomorrow and mildly scared about meeting Rebecca."

"That was thorough."

"You like when I'm thorough."

_Don't you?_

"Are you making fun of me in your mind?"

_You are._

"No. Yes."

"It's alright, Seeley. I'm calling Hodgins."

The phone rang twice before the entomologist answered:

"What is it, Cherry Lips?"

"He has to change that ringtone, Zack. Your cherry lips are mine and I'm the only one who should call you that."

_You should know how completely cute you are when you get all jealous._

Zack smiled at his lover and said to his best friend:

"Nothing much, 'I Think I'm Paranoid'. I just wanted to tell you that I won't be returning home tonight."

"Okay."

"Oh, and Seeley is saying you should change your ringtone for me because he's the only one who can call me Cherry Lips."

_That reminds me, I need to check up with Angela._

Zack hang up and started to dial another number.

"What is it, boy wonder?"

"You haven't changed it, have you?"

"Nope."

"I was calling you see if you have already freaked out about Hodgins."

"Did anyone ever tell you that you have psychic powers?"

"Seeley, Vincent, Wendell and Hodgins. My family as well."

"So I'm the last one to figure it out?"

"Doctor Brennan still hasn't. And you are avoiding the question."

"There wasn't any."

"Fine. Go insane. See if I care."

"Wait. Yes. Yes, I'm freaking out."

"Go out. Get your mind off of things. Don't sabotage your relationship with Hodgins before it even has a chance to begin."

"But..."

"Stop. Who told me to reap the benefits of her 'sexual 'wisdom'? "

"Me."

"Who once said she was the best catch of the Jeffersonian?"

"I said I was the best sex."

"So. Relax. You'll 'charm his pants off'. Hopefully when I'm not at home."

"I never thought I'd see the day Zack Addy would say 'charm his pants off'. And another thing, if you ever get tired of being a bone person, you can make a killing as a psychologist."

"Bye, Ange."

He closed his phone and Booth said:

"She's right, you know. You're great with people."

Zack blushed:

"Thank you, Seeley."

They arrived at Booth's house and went to bed.

"Are you up for sex?"

Zack turned bright red from head to toe:

"Have I ever said no to you, Seeley?"

"I love you."

"I know." – Booth made a face at that. Zack laughed at the FBI agent's face. – "I love you too."

The End (Really) (For now.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, I'm sorry with how long this took me. It's just that I got the five seasons of Six Feet Under and I'm enjoying it.
> 
> My next work (still untitled) will have three chapters, one for Zack, Booth and Parker; another for Wendell, Vincent and Noah and a last chapter for surprises. (No Angela and Hodgins this time, sorry.)
> 
> I would like to say how much I enjoy having you read my work. Makes me feel accomplished.
> 
> I also loved the reviews, keep'em coming. Stay tuned for more stories. Bye!


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